I
WANT to thank you for offering us an alternative source of
information,particularly when the publicly owned papers and broadcasters
have become toopartisan. I also wish to express my sentiments about the
just-ended flawedpresidential election.

I received news on the
outcome of the election with shock and despair andremained in that state for
24 hours until I wept in prayer. I felt like Ihad been sentenced to a
six-year jail term for an offence I had notcommitted.

After the
prayer, I got relieved and realised that no one was going to freeus but
ourselves. It is true, especially when neighbouring states havebetrayed us
by declaring the election free and fair.

They decided to overlook the
real tenets that make an election free and fairand qualified them on the
basis of voter turnout, although the same voterswere denied the right to
vote. Surely this election was a non-event. Thanksto the Commonwealth
observer mission that reported accurately the situationon the ground. What
do the other observer missions have to say about thefollowing:

·
The violence, abductions and murders that were carefully planned by thestate
and executed by the Zanu PF militia, war veterans, the police, thearmy and
individual ministers against MDC members and their
perceivedsympathisers?

· The crafting of laws that would suppress
fundamental rules of freedom,that is freedom of expression, association,
movement etc? These were hurdlesput in the way of the MDC.

· The
failure by public media organisations to give equal space and airtimefor
campaigns by all presidential candidates? They all became campaignagents for
Zanu PF.

These factors should have been taken into account in
determining the degreeof freedom and fairness in the electoral
process.

We do not need foreigners to tell us how we feel about
issues that affectus. We know that the election was rigged in rural
constituencies where MDCobservers were denied entry. Even President Mugabe
himself knows that thepeople of Zimbabwe rejected him. He is ruling by
decree. I know for surethat he is not settled at all because his conscience
is tormenting him forthis.

Fellow Zimbabweans, we are our own
liberators. Let us not be fooled by thelikes of Ibbo Mandaza who also
decided to evaluate the election on the basisof campaign rallies each
candidate held, voter turnout and inflated voterfigures from rural areas.
These variables cannot be used to determinewhether an election was free and
fair.

I say to you all, let us soldier on and rally our support
behind the trueliberator who has proved capable of challenging the monster
in our midst.

God is on our side. He might have chosen this course
for us to avoidbloodshed as Mugabe had sharpened his daggers in readiness
for war in theevent Morgan Tsvangirai won the election. I believe he had a
good plan forus. Let's remain focused and trust in him.

Delfos
Muchapondwa,

Chinhoyi.

Business Day

Sadly, Mugabe is still with
us

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Dear
Sir,ROBERT Gabriel Mugabe will be with us at least another six years. We
havelittle choice but to deal with the man who has successfully poked his
fingerup the nose of the west and got away with it, albeit with the
slightinconvenience of personal "smart" sanctions.

We will also have
to deal with other unpleasantness Zimbabwe's ruinedeconomy, its current
inability to feed itself, continued state-sponsoredviolence and increasing
corruption to name but a few. There is no shortageof challenges facing
ordinary Zimbabweans or those intent on talking toMugabe.

The wily
leader blatantly manipulated events and the law in his favour inthe run-up
to the March 9-10 vote, reneged on or "reinterpreted" everyagreement made
and undertaking given and said many vile things about hisopponents. An
essentially powerless European Union (EU) was sidelined andAfrica remained
supine.

Mugabe was supported to the hilt by the state-owned print and
electronicmedia, the security forces (including the military, the Central
IntelligenceOrganisation and the police), the statesponsored "Mugabe
Jugend", or youthmovement, and self-styled war veterans.

While the
EU, the US and others talk sanctions and SA speaks of economicreconstruction
and social stability "within a context of national unity",Mugabe has his own
plans. On Sunday, the long-time Maoist indicated that hewould press ahead
with his land-reform programme a Nazi-like scheme to stripwhite farmers of
their land and hand it to his supporters on thehistorically correct pretext
that it had earlier been taken by conquest fromindigenous
Zimbabweans.

Indications are that after them he will be moving on the
country's smallurban Indian and coloured communities with the aim of
redistributing theircommercial properties to his cronies, as he has the
farms already taken.

This has severely disrupted food production. As
famine begins to bite, areasthat voted for opposition leader Morgan
Tsvangirai can expect no food aidfrom the state, by law the only body that
may distribute such aid. They canexpect more repression at the hands of
Mugabe's thugs. Incidents of"reprisal violence" for not voting for Mugabe
are being reported.

The Movement for Democratic Change, the labour
movement and other centres ofresistance are already under attack by way of
tough laws passed shortlybefore the election. Tsvangirai faces a treason
charge on flimsy evidenceand stands accused of "plotting" to murder Mugabe.
For him the noose, jailor exile beckons. His party and its MPs face an
equally bleak future.Nothing but ill health or death prevents Mugabe from
standing forre-election again or simply just abolishing the
polls.

Clad only with a thin veneer of legality he has done all this in
plain viewof the world. Soon no legitimate way to oppose him will remain. He
is securein his country from the threat of actual civil war and his
neighbours aswell as allies will help secure his borders from any possible
guerrillathreat posed by expatriate groups and refugees.

Leon
Engelbrecht Via e-mail

Mar 27 2002 12:00:00:000AM Business Day 1st
Edition

Letters received by ZS ...........

" I was in Rhodesia when it was a pleasant land with pleasant people, both Black & White..... and now it seems that one man is turning it to dust......ONE man....
Fight back for Gods sake show that you will and others will help you...don't roll over "

I
wouldhave
likedto be the first to CONGRATULATE :
“ President of the Democratic Republic Of Zimbabwe

Mr
Morgan Tsvangirai
“ BUT SAD….. We all have to face the fact… but look around you, what do you see
?

I
was last in Zimbabwe I January 2002, people is starving…. There is no jobs
course leak of US / £ currency,

Kids
is no longer going to school course they can’t pay the fees… how can anybody
believe that the vote for Mugabe

Is
true…. It is with out doubt FIGGELT.I
have seen things going the wrong way, I stayed I Zimbabwe from1995 to

2001,
I am married to a black Zimbabwean ad therefore I also have 3 lovely mixet kids,
YES… I am white, or my skin is

…
but in my mind I am your “BROTHER” THIS IS A WERY SAD DAY FOR ALL OF US,
TEARS WILL RUN

If
anybody think that things in Zimbabwe is bad.. just wait… it is only the
beginning. How will MUGABE feed his people

With
out currency to buy maize from outside….. in some years to go there will only be
bicycles in Zimbabwe, cause of the leek of fuel, no currency no fuel, and the
worst is that kids will not be educated and that way Zimbabwe will only go
longer down the hill, the countrycant
stand another 6 years, I don’t want to see Zimbabwe as another Ethiopia, or so.
But face it, it was easy for MUGABE to win at the countryside… what he did was
to create at situation with no food in the country ahead of the election, then “
who will not accept Z$ 1.000,- to go and vote for ZANU” course you will have to
feed your family, IF I was at poor Zimbabwean with out ways to feed my family, I
would also accept the 1.000 Z$. I would have liked to go back to Zimbabwe after
the election, but now I will have to wait another 6 years ???? some of you will
say: THAT is fine with us, we don’t need the white man here, but remember that I
am married to your sister, my kids I carrying your blood…. The only different
between us is, that Europe don’t have as mouths sunshine as
Zimbabwe???

Zimbabwe…
I feel with you, I pray for you….. tell me what to do and I will tray by all
means.

Chris
. Denmark

IF Zimbabwe
is not a banana Republic as so ineloquently pro- claimed byJonathan Moyo to
the world on Wednesday, March 20 in defence (or was itsupport?) of the
arrest of Morgan Tsvangirai on treason charges, can heexplain to the same
world, and particularly to us Zimbabweans, why themurder of another human
being is not only tolerated in Zimbabwe, butseemingly encouraged by
government?

Why are some murderers not even apprehended for their crimes?
Why is assaultwith intent to cause grievous bodily harm a political tool of
ourgovernment? Why is it acceptable to force people from their properties
underthreat of death and then loot their property?

I could go on
and on. Do you sleep well at night, Moyo? Have you any senseof integrity
left in you?

THE more one reads about the 2002
presidential election, the more apparentit becomes that it is money that
counts for most people, and not politicalbelief, honesty or concern about
governance, the economy, or building abetter nation.

While people
expect to be paid for doing what should be a voluntary civicduty, we can
never expect to have democratic elections or a democraticgovernment. If you
are prepared to sell yourself to a political party ratherthan support the
party because you believe it will offer a better governmentand future, there
is no hope that we will have democracy.

I have read that thousands of
youths who unleashed a reign of terrorcountrywide were still to be paid more
than $18 000 that they were eachpromised for campaigning for Zanu
PF.

It is a sad indictment on the success of Zanu PF that so many youths
have nomoral objection to being used to terrorise their own people for a
monetaryreward rather than a political belief. If they are not paid, they
have thereward they deserve.

Soldiers were duped into campaigning for
Zanu PF in the presidentialelection with promises of pay rises that have now
been rescinded. I have nosympathy for them. They were prepared to ignore
their constitutional dutiesand obey a political party in order to suppress
the process of a freeelection. They have the reward they deserve.

I
hear that a large number of the people who campaigned and helped with
theelection process for the MDC also expect payment in return for their
supportand services. They also have the reward they deserve.

Very few
people, it would appear, campaigned or provided assistance becauseof their
political beliefs or that it was a civic duty to participate in theelection
process. "No money for services rendered, no support" appears to bethe
attitude of far too many people. They also have the reward they
deserve.

The more you hear about the election the more it appears that to
win yousimply require a large supply of money and that for a few pieces of
silver,you can get the support you need. Political belief does not come into
thedebate. "Pay me, I will support you, and to hell with the
consequences."

That is a horrifying thought for democracy, for it means
that unless theopposition candidate has unlimited financial support, the
incumbentcandidate will always win the election. It is not a question of who
has thebest ability to run the country, but who has the best resources to
buy thevictory.

It is sad that there are sufficient people who are
involved and control theelectoral process who apparently have no moral
qualms about allowing theelection to be blatantly rigged. Presumably
short-term personal gain andreward is more important than allowing a
democratic free and fair election.

The soldiers, the police, the war
veterans, election officials, andthousands of youths, have all been willing
to sell their country and denythe people a democratic election for a reward
of a few thousand dollarswithout any thought to their duty to uphold the law
or any moral consciencethat they are doing wrong.

One must give
credit to the many people who were determined to cast theirvote, and who are
now stunned and shattered at the outcome.

The election was not rigged by
Robert Mugabe. It was rigged for Mugabe byZimbabweans with no morality or
conscience who were prepared to sell theircountry and their souls to Mugabe
for a few pieces of silver. Sadly, MorganTsvangirai believed in democratic
support and did not have as many pieces ofsilver, and lost.

There
were not enough good men willing to be involved. They also have thereward
they deserve.

"AN entire nation of over 12 million people cannot, surely, be held
toransom by one man whose desire for power knows no bounds, even if it
meanscourting war, sanctions or international isolation," the
Heraldeditorialised last week.

The commentary was apt. President
Robert Mugabe's arthritic grip on thenation's windpipe has led to
international isolation and a mounting array ofsanctions. His followers
threatened war if he was not returned. For how muchlonger can he hold the
nation to ransom?

The Herald of course was not talking about Mugabe,
however immediatelyidentifiable the description. It was attempting to
denigrate MorganTsvangirai, suggesting "his posturing is very dangerous to
this country asit provides an opening for our country's enemies to
destabilise oureconomy..."

This theme was taken up by Herald
political editor Phillip Magwaza whoappears to think Tsva-ngirai's tenure at
the helm of the MDC is under threatfrom the treason charges he
faces.

Magwaza must be the only political commentator left still taking
thosecharges seriously. They stem from a frame-up staged by a Canadian
politicalconsultancy at the instigation of the Zimbabwean authorities. The
"evidence"is about as credible as the anthrax attacks we were asked to
swallow aheadof the election. The complicity of Zimbabwean ministers is a
gift to anydefence team. That Magwaza is prepared to believe this
transparent set-uptells us more about his analytical skills than anything
else.

Magwaza is not ashamed to advertise his loyalties. The MDC, he
says, "is nota party like Zanu PF, born out of the blood, sweat and tears of
millions ofZimbabweans. It is in essence a party driven by the lustful and
racialindignation of whites."

How does lust come into it? And Winston
Churchill might be amused to knowthat Magwaza has borrowed from one of his
wartime speeches ("blood, sweatand tears") to attack his countrymen! This
was probably unwitting. We cansafely assume Magwaza has not heard of
Churchill. On Monday he told usBritain's deputy prime minister is somebody
called Preston.

But having tried to rubbish Tsvangirai, Magwaza moved his
attention to theUnited States which he claimed was trying to blackmail
African countries. Wefound it curious that Phillip "LeVanhu" Magwaza could
write a whole storyabout blackmail without the slightest twinge of
conscience. We are pleasedhowever that he was able to refer to a speech by
Canadian oppositionspokesman Keith Martin.

Martin called for
sanctions against Zimbabwe, we were told. But,unfortunately, Magwaza omitted
to quote him. For the benefit of our readers,this is what Martin
said:

"They (the Commonwealth) need to continue taking a hard line to
isolate MrMugabe and make the people of Zimbabwe and his own party know that
he is aninternational pariah, he's a thug, a murderer and has no legitimacy
in orout of Zimbabwe. He needs to step down and be prosecuted as a
criminal."

We can well understand why Magwaza left that bit
out!

Still on the subject of Zanu PF scribes who believe they are
governmentpublicists first and journalists last, we had Garikai Mazara in
the SundayMail alerting the authorities to the presence in the country of a
suspectedBBC correspondent. Somebody called Lindsay Hill was filing copy for
thecorporation from the capital recently, he reported.

"Last week she
reported from Shamva and on Wednesday she was reporting fromAfrica Unity
Square. Has the ban been lifted?" Mazara asked.

If people like Mazara
want to get fellow journalists arrested for doingtheir job perhaps we should
consider proposing them for the list of peoplewhich the EU and US are
drawing up as unwelcome on their shores. What, forinstance, is Addmore
Tshuma still doing over there?

The Zimbabwe war veterans association
wants the ZCTU deregistered andbanned. It has opened talks with government
departments to this effect.

"The ZCTU must be banned with immediate
effect," the war veterans' secretaryfor projects, Andrew Ndlovu, told the
Zimbabwe Mirror, "because it iscausing confusion among workers, damaging the
already ailing economy, anddiscrediting the ruling Zanu PF
abroad".

He said if the government didn't act, the war veterans would
persuade itsaffiliates to join the Joseph Chinotimba-led ZFTU.

Why do
Zanu PF spokesmen believe that "causing confusion" is a seriousoffence? Is
it because people like Andrew Ndlovu are easily confused? Andwhat role has
he and other war veterans played in "discrediting the rulingZanu PF
abroad"?

Zanu PF has been discredited at home and abroad because it is a
corrupt andviolent party with no policies left except economic sabotage.
What publicaccounting has Ndlovu provided for his "projects" department?
What happenedto the missing Sankorp millions? Or the Chinese
tractors?

Meanwhile, the ZCTU could do a great deal more to earn public
respect. Itcould spell out its right to function free of police harassment
and itsright to call for a stayaway if it wants to. It should underline the
linkagebetween employment prospects and governance. Very simply it should
have thecourage of its convictions instead of wringing its hands and asking
every-body else what it should do.

The government press has been
claiming the failure of its stayaway was ablow for the MDC. If the MDC had
organised the stayaway it would haveworked. People were looking for an
opportunity to protest against beingdeprived of the right to vote. But the
ZCTU gave no clear lead because it isscared of POSA. What it needs is
courageous leadership and proper direction.Keeping out of the tripartite
agreement with a discredited government benton voodoo economics and business
leaders who fall over themselves tocongratulate the president on his
election victory would be a start. Bothbusiness and labour must stop
conferring legitimacy on this illegitimateregime.

We were interested
to read Ignatious Chombo's remarks on meeting thenewly-elected Harare mayor,
Elias Mudzuri. "The meeting was held at themayor's request and we told him
what we expected from him as government."

Hasn't he got it the wrong way
around? Shouldn't Mudzuri be telling Chombowhat the residents of Harare
expect from government? Like honouring itsdebts.

Government
departments owe the City of Harare millions of dollars in unpaidbills and
subsidies. Yet the council continues to supply these departmentswith water
and other services. What did Mudzuri tell Chombo? And what is hedoing about
the presence of Joseph Chinotimba on the council payroll?

In an interview
with this paper last week Mudzuri said there were other linemanagers who
should deal with the issue. He is wrong. Chinotimba's role as acouncil
employee is emblematic of the corruption and misappropriation ofratepayers'
money that characterise Zanu PF rule. Who kept promoting himwhile
authorising him to pursue Zanu PF's criminal agenda on the farms? Whywas he
never prosecuted for threatening judges? Who protected him andinstructed the
council to pay him a salary? We want answers. And Mudzurishould make it his
business to supply them.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu has been rubbished in
the pages of the Herald thisweek as a British puppet. Along with so many in
South Africa's civilsociety, he is disappointed that his government could
endorse such aself-evidently flawed poll as that recently concluded in
Zimbabwe.

But having expressed his views he immediately came under attack
from apro-Zanu PF church organisation called Bishops for Peace in Africa.
Thisgang of bought prelates declared in the language of our Department
ofInformation that Tutu was endorsing the British government's position
byrefusing to respect the electoral outcome.

"He should not be a
parrot," the churchmen said. "He belongs to the samechurch of which the
Queen is head and now they are using him..."

Who is being used here: a
principled spokesmen for the down- trodden andoppressed or a bunch of
state-serving clerics who do not even have thecourage to identify their
spokesmen? Who exactly belongs to the Bishops forPeace in Africa who believe
Zimbabwe's land programme, which has left atrail of blood and destruction as
well as food shortages, is "in accordancewith the command of
God"?

They praised Bishop Nolbert Kunonga's "unwavering stance" on the
landquestion.

That should have come as no surprise. Kunonga once
again disgraced himselfand the Anglican church in Zimbabwe by his grovelling
performance atMugabe's inauguration. Bishops for Peace are clearly in the
government'spocket. They seek to anoint a programme of state-orchestrated
violence thathas seen over 120 people murdered, thousands abducted and
tortured, and tensof thousands dispossessed. They have sanctified evil and
sold their souls tothe devil who inspires terror in the hearts of his
people.

Bishops for Peace needs to be exposed for its affiliation with
tyranny andsuffering. Let's have the names of these purported servants of
God whowillingly serve God-forsaken leaders.

A national newspaper reporter
is being held in prison in Zimbabwe afterbeing charged under newly
re-elected President Mugabe's security law.

Peta Thornycroft of The Daily
Telegraph is charged with "publishing falsestatements likely to be
prejudicial to state security" and "incitement topublic
violence".

Mrs Thornycroft is the first journalist to be charged under
the notoriouspublic order and security act since the disputed presidential
election.

The 57-year-old widow who has a son, daughter and granddaughter
has been TheDaily Telegraph's Harare correspondent since last
July.

She is a Zimbabwean citizen although she was born in Macclesfield,
Cheshire.

Her arrest, in Chimanimani, 300 miles east of Harare, is being
seen as asign of Mr Mugabe's growing paranoia and indifference to
internationalopinion.

She was arrested within two hours of arriving
in the town to investigatereports of widespread political violence and a
campaign of retributionagainst the opposition.

The Telegraph reports
that Mrs Thornycroft was taken from a cafe to thepolice station where she
was held for about five hours without any chargesbeing laid.

Later
she was told she would be charged with the two offences, which carry
apossible two-year prison sentence, and taken to the cells.

The
public order and security act, passed in January, has been condemned
asrepressive.

Editor demands journalist's 'immediate
release'

Daily Telegraph editor Charles Moore is demanding the immediate release of
the paper's Zimbabwe correspondent who is being held by the country's
police.

Peta Thornycroft, who is said to be "in good spirits", is being moved to the
police headquarters in Mutare, 200 miles east of the capital Harare.

It is believed she has been charged with "publishing false statements
prejudicial to the state" under the condemned new Public Order Security Act.

But her lawyer has since told the Daily Telegraph that Mrs Thornycroft has
not been formally charged but continues to be held by police.

The newspaper has asked the Foreign Office for help and sent a fax to the
Zimbabwean government calling for the journalist to be freed.

Mr Moore said it was "ludicrous" to suggest that Mrs Thornycroft was being
subversive.

"She is a highly experienced journalist who was carrying out her professional
duties," he said.

"It is ludicrous to suggest that she had a subversive agenda. She should be
released immediately.

"This is a matter that concerns the future of all journalism in Zimbabwe,
foreign and domestic," he said.

Mrs Thornycroft was arrested in Chimanimani, on the border with Mozambique.
She had travelled to the town to investigate reports of widespread political
violence and a campaign of retribution against the opposition.

Story filed: 15:46 Thursday 28th March 2002

Guardian

Moore demands release of Zimbabwe reporter

Jessica
HodgsonThursday March 28, 2002

Charles Moore

The Telegraph
editor, Charles Moore, has called for the immediate release ofthe paper's
Zimbabwe correspondent, Peta Thornycroft, who was arrested inthe country
last night.

The Zimbabwe government accused Thornycroft, a 57-year-old
widow, of being"subversive", a claim Moore dismissed as
"ludicrous".

Thornycroft has not been charged with any
offence.

"She is a highly experienced journalist who was carrying out
herprofessional duties," said Moore.

"It is ludicrous to suggest she
had a subversive agenda. She should bereleased immediately.

"This is
a matter that concerns the future of all journalism in Zimbabwe,foreign and
domestic," he added.

The reporter, who has been arrested under Zimbabwe's
new Public Order andSecurity Acts, is "in fine spirits", according to the
paper's foreigneditor, Alec Russell.

But Russell said she had not, as
previously thought, been charged, accordingto the paper's
lawyers.

Thornycroft was driven in her own car from a police station in
Chimanimani -where she was arrested - to a larger police station at
Mutare.

Lawyers acting for the paper are pressing the Zimbabwean home
affairsministry and the Zimbabwean high commission in the UK to put out a
statementclarifying the reason for her arrest.

Russell said he
believed the move was part of a campaign to intimidateThornycroft and said
he was not expecting any charges to be made today.

"I suspect they're
just going to duck the issue," he said.

Thornycroft, a Zimbabwean
citizen, is the first international journalist tobe detained under the
controversial legislation passed shortly before therecent general
elections.

Critics have accused the government and its powerful
information ministry ofpassing the laws to stifle criticism of President
Robert Mugabe's regime.

Thornycroft was arrested while investigating
reports of intimidation of MrMugabe's political opponents

REPRESENTATIVES of the Business Leaders Forum last week met with
PresidentMugabe to congratulate him on his election win and to offer their
support inefforts to resuscitate the economy. They condemned the
ZCTU-organisedstay-away as "contrary to the president's policy of
nation-building".

It is extraordinary that the Business Leaders Forum,
which groups the CZI,ZNCC, Emcoz, Bankers Association and Chamber of Mines,
could conclude that,given his public remarks, President Mugabe is in any way
interested inreviving the economy. What leads them to that conclusion apart
from somegeneralised remarks he made at his inauguration?

He has said
quite openly during the election campaign that he is committedto a siege
economy, price controls, a fixed exchange rate, further landseizures,
company takeovers, and every other facet of Zanu PF policy thathas scared
off investment and crippled the country. To assume thisparticular leopard
has changed its spots is frankly delusional.

As the business leaders met
with the president, his militias were invadingfarms, evicting their owners
(killing one), threatening labourers andfomenting instability across whole
swathes of the country. Agriculturalproduction has slumped. GDP is set to
contract by 10% this year aftershrinking 13% last year.

Foreign
exchange receipts will also diminish as the country proves incapableof
exporting tobacco and beef in the quantities required and fails toattract
tourists.

It would be interesting to know which of these realities the
businessleaders raised during their cosy meeting at Zimbabwe House last
Wednesday.Did they raise the issue of ongoing violence unleashed by
Mugabe'ssupporters which has led to an internal refugee crisis and makes
economicrecovery impossible?

No, instead they criticised the ZCTU for
calling a peaceful and lawfulprotest.

We have of course been here
before. In July 2000, after nearly losing thegeneral election, Mugabe
committed himself to economic reform. "Technocrats"were appointed to senior
posts to preside over the country's rehabilitationand reintegration into the
international community.

It never happened. Finance minister Simba Makoni
was thwarted at every turn.His plans for macro-economic stability were
sabotaged by politburo dinosaurswith no grasp whatsoever of how a modern
economy works. Nkosana Moyo gave uptrying to instill sense at the Ministry
of Industry and International Tradeand fled amidst vicious state-media
attacks. Joseph Made turned out to beless technocrat than party hack.And
who's heard of July Moyo?

Their one useful contribution was to help frame
a South African rescuepackage that South African Trade and Industry minister
Alec Erwin says iswaiting upon a political solution. As that in turn is
premised uponPresidents Mbeki and Obasanjo's government-of-national-unity
project it isunlikely to fly.

Zimbabwe's economic recovery is wholly
dependent upon creating a climateconducive to investment, trade and growth.
Given the attitudes ofruling-party politicians, that environment is a
distant prospect.International lenders will not assist so long as Mugabe
incites violence andcreates instability in order to punish that half of the
nation which votedagainst him.

Local business leaders should come to
terms with this reality on the groundinstead of deluding themselves about
the president's intentions. There is nonation-building taking place, nor is
there likely to be under a regimeintent upon political
vengeance.

Business leaders should be spelling out the conditions for
economic recoveryin plain language, not taking cheap shots at the ZCTU and
indulging apresident responsible for perpetuating the nation's misery.

GOVERNMENT'S proposal to produce irrigated winter
maize is an expensiveattempt at the impossible, agricultural experts said
this week. They havedescribed the project as "harebrained".

President
Robert Mugabe's government, which has presided over the steadycollapse of
commercial agriculture, recently announced the idea of producingwinter maize
to meet shortfalls. Agriculture minister Joseph Made told statemedia last
week that Zimbabwe would irrigate 100 000 hectares of wintermaize to produce
400 000 tonnes of the crop.

There is no precedent for commercial
production of winter maize in theregion as it is an extremely expensive
exercise and would likely impact onthe production of winter
wheat.

Agricultural experts have dismissed the idea as yet another
damaging policy.The experts, who asked to remain anonymous because they do
business withgovernment, said it was not practicable to plant 100 000
hectares ofirrigated maize as Zimbabwe only had about 155 000 hectares of
irrigableland of which winter wheat require up to 60 000
hectares.

The experts said it was not economic to grow a crop on this
hectarage andharvest it by August. If anything, the experts said, government
had toconcentrate on importing maize and prepare adequately for the
normalplanting season.

Opposition MDC agriculture spokesman
Renson Gasela said plans to grow wintermaize would affect wheat production
as only the wheat farms hadinfrastructure for winter
irrigation.

"It is better to grow wheat in winter and not maize
because it is much moreexpensive to import wheat," he said.

An
agronomist with a seed company said it was largely uneconomical to growmaize
in winter on such a large scale.

He said low temperatures on the
maize belts along the main watershed meantthat the maize could only be grown
in the Lowveld, which traditionallyproduced winter wheat. He said farmers
would have to look at the cost factorof switching from wheat to
maize.

He said a farmer produced four tonnes of wheat per hectare in
the Lowveldand earned $160 000 at $40 000 per tonne. With maize the same
tonnage pertonne, at a producer price of $15 000 per tonne, would earn $60
000, hesaid.

He said production costs in winter were
substantially higher in the hotLowveld and constant irrigation of the crop
was required. He said maize tooklonger to mature and there was a danger of
it encroaching on the summercrop.

However, Indigenous Commercial
Farmers Union President Nokwazi Moyoyesterday said the need to make grain
available outweighed the costs ofproducing it.

"Yes, it is not
very economical because it is very expensive and the yieldsare lower, but
you have to understand that it is more important to makemaize available to
the people," he said. He said the National InvestmentTrust was prepared to
fund the project.

Zimbabwe was until this month importing maize from
South Africa to meet itsshortages. This had since stopped as Pretoria has
said it was also facing ashortage.

In addition, South African
consumers were now bearing the brunt of themayhem currently taking place in
Zimbabwe as the price of maize continued toincrease as a result of demands
from their northern neighbour.

PRESIDENT MUGABE, emboldened by his
election victory and angered bysuspension from the Commonwealth, has
unleashed his own form of ethniccleansing across swaths of rural Zimbabwe.
Thirty thousand people have beenforced to flee their homes and entire
“blacklisted” villages have been cutoff from the food
supply.

Thousands of incidents of rape, torture, murder, kidnap and arson
have beenreported to human rights groups and the opposition Movement for
DemocraticChange. The wave of terror far exceeds the brutality witnessed
before thismonth’s vote, and before Zimbabwe was suspended from the
Commonwealth for ayear.

In Mberengwa East district alone, in the
Midlands province, 5,000 MDCsupporters have fled in the face of reprisals.
The internal refugee crisishas escalated so dramatically that earlier this
week the Amani Trust, theZimbabwean human rights group, applied to the
United Nations and the RedCross for tented villages to be set up in the
capital, Harare, where themajority of people have fled, but was turned
down.

Some MDC supporters have been buried alive for weeks in “bush
pits”, withthe so-called “war veterans” and youth militia demanding
information fromthem on the Opposition.

Before the election Zenny
Dube, 27, an MDC polling agent in Nkayi,Matabeleland North, was buried
alongside two colleagues in a bush pit,covered in logs and branches, then
weighed down with soil. He was kept therefor three weeks. “They gave us
water every three days,” he said yesterday.“They wanted to know everything
about the MDC, who were members, where theylived. They said they wanted us
to die because we were selling Zimbabwe outto the white man.”

One of
the three, Thembeni Ndebele, is almost certainly dead. Suffering
frommalaria, he was removed from the pit after two weeks and has not been
seensince. Mr Dube, a structural engineer, was dumped in the bush and left
fordead.

President Mugabe’s campaign against white farmers has
intensified. More than20 farmers in the Esigodini district, an irrigated
dairy area south ofBulawayo, fled their properties yesterday, having been
given until today toleave. Black workers on one of the farms were then
beaten unconscious. InMatabeleland North, farmers on 60 properties have been
handed the sameultimatum, with some deciding to quit but most standing
firm.

The Amani Trust estimates that up to 30,000 people have been forced
fromtheir villages since Mr Mugabe was declared the victor in the
presidentialelection on March 14.

The President’s “war veterans” and
youth militia — the feared teenage “GreenBombers” paid to spread terror —
have been on the rampage across most ofrural Mashonaland and Midlands
province, where Mr Mugabe enjoys hisstrongest support, singling out whole
villages suspected of beingsympathetic to the MDC.

In the Midlands
area of Gokwe, women and teenage girls have been raped byregular soldiers
and Zanu (PF) militia, the trust says. Young girls havebeen forced to
perform humiliating sexual acts in public.

“Whole villages are being
declared MDC and anyone living there is beingtargeted,” Shari Eppel, an
Amani Trust veteran, said. She issues a reporttoday detailing a litany of
rape, murder, beatings and torture carried outsince the
election.

“Food is being blatantly used as a political weapon,” she said.
“Even if youhave money you cannot buy maize if you are declared an MDC
supporter.

“There are entire villages in Mberengwa East where war
veterans arediverting maize supplies to the homes of local chiefs who
support Zanu (PF).You can only buy maize through the chief and whole
villages have beenblacklisted.” She said that she received a report
yesterday of two childrenin Tsholotsho, north of Bulawayo, starving to
death.

Lorryloads of maize have been driven from the area’s Mataga depot
to thechiefs’ homesteads. MDC supporters are barred from buying it, while it
isbeing sold to Zanu (PF) supporters for ZIM$1,300 (£10) for
110lb.

The full scale of the torture and murder of MDC polling agents is
also justbeginning to emerge. In Gokwe, James Nevana, 32, an MDC polling
agent, wasabducted the day that voting ended and taken to a youth militia
camp. He hadbicycle spokes poked through his genitals and was forced to
drink poison.The MDC estimates that ten agents have been murdered since the
polls closed.

Ms Eppel said: “Mugabe’s terror machine has been
dramatically stepped upsince the election, and especially since the
Commonwealth decision. He issending out the message that he is going to do
what he wants, whatever theoutside world thinks. People here are very
depressed, and there is enormousinsecurity.”

THE Botswana parliament has expressed serious concern about events
inZimbabwe and their negative impact on the economy of that
country.

Botswana Foreign Affairs minister Mompati Merafhe said although
hisgovernment supported an orderly and transparent land reform programme
inZimbabwe, it was opposed to President Robert Mugabe's violent
redistributionmethods.

Responding to questions in parliament
during a debate on Botswana's2002/2003 budget last Thursday, Merafhe said
the government had voicedconcern over Zimbabwe's land invasions and the
persistent lawlessness.

Merafhe said MPs' concerns about the
situation in Zimbabwe were legitimateas it badly affected Botswana. The
legislators complained about theincreasing flow of illegal immigrants from
Zimbabwe.

"Whatever happens there, we must be prepared to live with
its consequences,"Merafhe said.

The minister however said
Botswana did not have to be confrontational withZimbabwe and should adopt a
mature approach.

Merafhe urged the international community to chip in
and rescue the troubledand restive nation. But some MPs said it would be
difficult to help outZimbabwe as long as the cur-

rent regime
continued clinging to power through illegal means.

The minister, who
is the chair of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group,fired a broad-
side at Duke Lefhoko, the MP for Shoshong who led the SadcParliamentary
Forum observer mission to Zimbabwe's presidential election,after Lefhoko
attacked the Sadc Ministerial Task Force over its report onthe poll. The
team included Merafhe and officials such as South AfricanLabour minister
Membathisi Mdladlana and Malawi Foreign Affairs ministerLillian
Patel.

Merafhe recalled Lefhoko saying on television that the Sadc
Ministerial TaskForce pronounced the Zimbabwean election as free and fair
because it enjoyedthe hospitality of the Zimbabwean government and as a
result abdicated itsduty.

The minister said the fact that the
Sadc Ministerial Task Force and theParliamentary Forum compiled different
reports on the election showed thatSadc tolerated a diversity of
views.

LOCAL and international organisations are bracing themselves
for a massivehumanitarian crisis following the displacement of an estimated
18 000Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) supporters fleeing retributive
attacksby members of the ruling Zanu PF.

While the MDC is still
compiling a comprehensive report on the total numberdisplaced, its
preliminary findings show that 2 547 families have so farbeen affected. An
average family has at least seven members.

Following the
controversial Zanu PF victory in the just-ended presidentialelection, ruling
party supporters have unleashed a wave of violence againstpolitical
opponents leaving a trail of deaths and many injuries.

Officials from
the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) confirmed onTuesday that a
considerable number of people have been displaced and planswere already
underway to avert the crisis.

"The displacement takes two
dimensions," an official said.

"There is the humanitarian side which
involves helping people who have beenremoved from their
homes.

"These people need food, shelter and somewhere to make a new
start. We aretaking care of that," he said.

"The other dimension
is the human rights issue which is beyond us. There isthe United Nations
Human Rights Commission in session and it can deal withthat if raised by
member states," the official said.

The UNDP is co-ordinating the
humanitarian assistance.

The International Committee of the Red Cross
is also preparing to weigh inwith material support to the displaced
persons.

A local human rights activist, Julius Mutyambizi, who is
closely monitoringthe situation, said he dealt with over 30 cases of
displaced people everyday.

"The biggest worry at the moment is
that local (election) observers and MDCelection agents have become the
target of these assaults," Mutyambizi said.

He said civil society and
international organisations like the UnitedNations High Commission for
Refugees (UNHCR) were treating the victims asinternally displaced people and
not refugees.

"The UNHCR should not only accord refugee status to
people who stream acrossborders. Internally displaced people are actually
refugees," Mutyambizisaid.

Amani Trust, a local non-governmental
organisation which rehabilitatesvictims of torture and violence, said the
level of post-election violencewas much greater than the pre-election
period. Almost all the victims weremembers of the MDC.

At least 1
250 MDC polling agents were on the run, said Amani Trust. As theelectoral
law required polling agents' names to be published in localnewspapers, the
ruling party supporters has been using the list to identifytheir victims,
the Trust said.

ZANU
PF national political commissar Elliot Manyika has proposed to allocateover
$500 million to the construction and running of national youth trainingcamps
in the country's eight provinces, a move viewed as giving rein tofurther
violence and an abuse of public funds.

Manyika, who is also the Minister
of Youth Development, Gender andEmployment Creation, claims his call for
more training camps was part of anexercise by the government to create
employment.

Manyika said last weekend money would be taken from the
$2 billion revolvingfund set aside for indigenisation by Simba Makoni, the
Minister of Financeand Economic Development. He did not specify what amount
he required butruling-party sources said it would be at least $500
million.

Manyika is understood to be pushing for the camps as a way
of consolidatingthe Zanu PF militia which played a crucial role in President
Robert Mugabe'shotly-disputed return to State
House.

Highly-placed sources in the ruling party said plans to build
the camps werewell underway. The first camp was set up at Border Gezi
Training Centre inMount Darwin towards the end of last year.

"The
training camps are to be built in all the eight provinces and what hasbeen
holding up the implementation is the lack of funds," a ruling-partysource
said. The latest camp is at Jamaica Inn near

Melfort which has had one
intake so far.

Nelson Chamisa, MDC national youth chairman, described
the plan as a furtherattempt by the ruling party to abuse the youths using
taxpayers' funds.

"Their training camps are indoctrination camps to
try and shift the youthsfrom basic issues of survival to fighting for the
'sovereignty' of thecountry," Chamisa said.

"This is a systematic
way of stifling the participation of youths in apositive manner. It is
ridiculous that after the election they still want touse the youths for
electioneering. Maybe they are anticipating a re-run
verysoon."

Professor Brian Raftopoulos of the University of
Zimbabwe describedManyika's programme as a "disaster".

It is a
disaster which is consistent with the policy of the broadening ofrepression
in the post-election period," said Raftopoulos.

Independent economist
John Robertson said "the youth camps would be uselessif they are run on
military lines. There is need to depoliticise them bygiving the youths
skills that benefit them like building and carpentry."

Hospitality
Association of Zimbabwe president Douglas Mrewa said hoteloccupancies had
declin-ed by 30% since January. Crowne Plaza MonomatapaHotel general manager
Anthony Petrakis said the-re had been little activityat the hotel as
bookings continued to slide.

Zimbabwe Council for Tourism president
Pedia Moyo said there had been noprogress in implementing TRP programmes due
to inadequate funding.

"The TRP is a private-sector initiative
adopted by government in 2000, butwhose implementation has been hindered by
lack of funds," she said.

ZTA operations have been affected by
suspect business decisions such asrenting office space at $800 000 per month
at the Kopje Plaza and a sharpdrop in tourist arrivals which created a
cash-flow crisis. The ZTA has sincemoved to cheaper office
accommodation.

As a result of its precarious financial position the
ZTA has been unable tosend tourism attachés to source markets. Marketing
initiatives once done byprofessional lobbyists in the United States and
Europe have beendiscontinued. Another initiative to fly in travel writers in
the hope theywould write favourable articles about Zimbabwe has not brought
the desiredresults.

Commenting this week, ZTA director (marketing
and communications) GivemoreChidzidzi said the programme was still
on.

"At the moment we are still trying to sail on with the plan
though operatorsmight have their own views about its successes and failures.
The ZTA isstill committed to restoring confidence within the entire tourism
industry,"he said.

Operators resent paying hefty levies to the
ZTA which they see as apolitical body feathering its nest with little to
show for the revenuescollected.

THE on-again-off-again circus surrounding the
implementation of thelong-awaited $30 billion Matabeleland Zambezi Water
Project (MZWP) is set tocontinue in the coming weeks after officials
announced that a team ofMalaysian engineers and technicians will be in the
country next week tostart work on the delayed Gwayi-Shangani Dam.

The
government and the Matabeleland Zambezi Water Trust (MZWT) have over thepast
five years assured Matabeleland that the project would kick off as amatter
of urgency.

A few weeks before the mayoral election in Bulawayo last
year, fiveMalaysian engineers left the country in a cloud of secrecy after
MZWTofficials had announced they were here to kick-start the
project.

MZWT chairman Dumiso Dabengwa confirmed a Malaysian team
comprisingtechnicians and engineers was expected in the country next week
but couldnot be drawn to shed more light on the matter.

"We will
tell you once they are in the country," Dabengwa said. "We willalso tell you
when they want to start on the project because they have totell us what is
required before they move on site."

The ambitious project to pipe
water from the mighty Zambezi River to aridMatabeleland 478km away is now
expected to cost over $30 billion oncecomplete.

Government has
pledged to support the project but had not converted itsverbal commitment to
financial pledges.

Previously Italian and Malaysian companies have
backed off the project afteralleging irregularities in dealing with
officials.

Dabengwa said funding for the project had been secured and
they were nowonly awaiting the arrival of the Malaysians to commence
work.

He said the construction of the pipeline would be done
simultaneously withconstruction of the Gwayi-Shangani dam.

WHEN a weary President Thabo Mbeki flew into
a wet and blustery London at5am on Tuesday last week he was left in no doubt
by Western leaders, hisclosest aides and diplomats that the Zimbabwean
crisis was damaging hisreputation and putting his plans for Africa’s
rejuvenation in jeopardy.

Mbeki’s seemingly soft stance on Zimbabwe’s
severely flawed presidentialelection had drawn howls of protests from around
the world.

After briefings with South Africa’s High Commissioner to
London, LindiweMabuza, in which reference was made to the unprecedented
condemnation ofSouth Africa in the international Press and diplomatic
circles, Mbekireceived a call from British Prime Minister Tony
Blair.

In the tense 10-minute call, Blair bluntly told Mbeki he was still
committedto being Mbeki’s closest ally on the New Partnership
forAfrica’s Development (NEPAD), but would not continue backing the plan
ifthere was no action on Zimbabwe from Mbeki.

“Blair made it clear
that after the position of Africa on Zimbabwe, otherWestern leaders would
laugh the plan - and him - out of court if hepretended that there was no
concern on the handling of Zimbabwe,” a DowningStreet source
said.

Mbeki also spoke to Canada’s Prime Minister, Jean Chretien, who
said theGroup of Eight (G8) would probably refuse to work with African
leaders onthe NEPAD if they did not change tack on Zimbabwe.

The G8,
with the enthusiastic support of Blair and Chretien, is expectedformally to
back NEPAD at its meeting in Canada in June.

By the time Mbeki, Nigeria’s
President Olusegun Obasanjo and Australia’sPrime Minister John Howard sat
down at the Commonwealth head office inMarlborough House at 2pm to hammer
out the Commonwealth response toZimbabwe, Mbeki had concluded that he had to
give his Western allies asymbolic gesture - without damaging his standing
with Mugabe.

From the onset, Mbeki gave no indication he would compromise
on his stanceon Zimbabwe, which was that he needed more time to hammer out a
deal withMugabe on a government of national unity.

He also said
Zimbabwe’s suspension would not serve any purpose in the
longterm.

Before going into the meeting, Mbeki had also received a
call from one ofBlair’s most trusted friends, twice-fired former Cabinet
member PeterMandelson, who pleaded for a compromise on Mugabe and indicated
that many inthe Labour Cabinet were sympathetic to Mbeki’s
position.

Mandelson apparently repeated remarks he had stated in an
article that daythat Mbeki’s position on Zimbabwe had to be respected
because he knew theregion better than most.

After two hours of
negotiations, Mbeki’s ally, Obasanjo, caved in to Howard,agreeing that some
action had to be taken.

But Mbeki remained steadfast, saying any action
that would alienate Mugabewould be disastrous.

Howard, however,
insisted there should be sanctions against Mugabe and anindefinite
suspension from the Commonwealth.

“He read out the agreements that had
been made at Coolum in Australia andsaid this is what we said we would do if
the Zimbabwe election was not freeand fair. ‘Let us play by the book,’ he
said.

‘We must suspend Zimbabwe and impose sanctions,’” said a diplomat
at theSouth African High Commission, who added that Howard had been
almostschoolmasterish in his approach to the matter.

Commonwealth,
Zimbabwean, British and South African diplomats who werepresent last Tuesday
said Mbeki insisted there be only a year’s suspensionof Zimbabwe -to be
reviewed within the year -and that this should come witha promise from
Western leaders that they would provide food aid to Zimbabwe.

Mbeki also
insisted that an agreement on food aid be included in a statementto be
issued after the meeting.

Howard left the meeting and called Cabinet
colleagues in Australia onwhether he should agree to such food
aid.

He agreed to provide US$2 million (about Z$110 million) worth of
food aid,and to ensure that other Western countries did the
same.

Howard also called Blair, but details of their conversation were
notavailable.

After three-and-a-half hours, the leaders agreed on a
statement, whichHoward read out to journalists after the
meeting.

Despite prompting, Mbeki and Obasanjo did not speak at the Press
conferenceattended by about 200 journalists from around the
world.

“The committee has decided to suspend Zimbabwe from the councils
of theCommonwealth for a period of one year with immediate effect . .
.

“It’s at the more severe range of the actions available to us.It
maintains the Commonwealth’s credibility and it maintains itsconsistency,”
Howard said.

Mbeki, who was apparently told by his doctor that he had
been working andtravelling too much, left immediately after the Press
conference.

He went to the Dorchester Hotel, where he was instructed to
rest for thenight, before flying to the United Nations conference on
financing fordevelopment, in Monterrey, Mexico.

JOHANNESBURG,
28 March (IRIN) - With hunger stalking urban and rural Zimbabweans, the
government on Friday dismissed allegations that access to food aid had been
politicised.

In its report titled Zimbabwe At The Crossroads: Transition
or Conflict, the International Crisis Group (ICG) alleges that "maize imports
were, and are, directed first to areas of greatest support for the ruling party
[ZANU-PF]".

On Thursday Edward Mamutse, a government spokesman in
Zimbabwe's Department of Information and Publicity, said: "There's nothing of
the sort. The Ministry of Agriculture is working on prioritising areas. The more
acute the need, the greater the priority for relief. This country and government
is not facing drought for the first time. In 1992 we had a crippling drought
[but government] devised a scheme to send food right round the
country."

When the World Food Programme (WFP) launched a US $60 million
appeal in December to feed about 550,000 people in need, WFP regional director
for Eastern and Southern Africa, Judith Lewis, told IRIN that WFP and other
assessments indicated rural populations were in dire need. She dismissed
concerns that the aid would be used politically, saying the operations would be
closely monitored so as to provide donors with feedback.

In its report
ICG said: "With Zimbabwe's agricultural production suffering as a result of farm
invasions and general economic mismanagement, access to food was often
politicised during the campaign and the [9-11 March presidential] election
itself.

"At a time of severe deprivation, the government released
supplies of mealie meal, the staple food for the majority of Zimbabweans, on the
day of the election in certain [opposition Movement for Democratic Change] MDC
strongholds.

"Its intention was that the guaranteed long lines for food
would reduce the number of people able to vote. During the campaign, in some [of
Zimbabwe's] Grain Marketing Board outlets, buyers had to have a ZANU-PF party
card."

Mamutse strongly denied the allegation and questioned ICG's
agenda. "Who are their sponsors, one could find that they are the same power
blocs that are against this country. NGOs here, some of them are media freedom
agitators, when we trace their background sponsorships we come back to the very
same people, the United States and Britain. For us it has become routine to look
at who is sponsoring which NGO and saying what.

"As to the food crisis,
yes our harvest here is going to be extremely poor, but this is because of the
weather. We had extremely promising crops and then the rains just stopped. But
it probably suits some people to attribute it to land reform. They want to
[link] the drought, politics and economy in the same breath, but it really won't
hold."

The Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA), meanwhile, said on
Thursday that a Zimbabwean journalist working for a British newspaper had been
arrested and faced a charge of writing false information about President Robert
Mugabe.

MISA said the charge carried a fine of Z$20,000 (US $350) or one
year in prison, or both. Peta Thornycroft, who writes for the Daily Telegraph,
was arrested on Wednesday in Chimanimani.

"Although the police have said
that they are charging her with writing falsely about the president, evidence or
mention of the 'false' story is yet to be made available. MISA-Zimbabwe
understands that the police initially said that they wanted to question
Thornycroft over accreditation. After holding her for five hours she was then
charged with writing 'false information' about the president," MISA said in a
statement.

The organisation said Thornycroft was in Chimanimani to
interview victims of political violence "that is escalating in the aftermath of
the disputed presidential elections". She had not conducted any interviews
before being arrested.

"Soon after her arrest, Thornycroft phoned
MISA-Zimbabwe and said that she was being questioned about her accreditation
status. In an effort to have her accreditation status ascertained, MISA-Zimbabwe
phoned Edward Mamutse ... in the Department of Information and Publicity so that
the issue could be clarified to facilitate her release," MISA
said.

However, Mamutse said his department had not yet received a report
from the police and could do nothing about the matter.

This report does not purport to cover all the
incidents that are taking place in the commercial farming areas. Communication
problems and the fear of reprisals prevent farmers from reporting all that
happens. Farmers names, and in some cases farm names, are omitted to minimise
the risk of reprisals.

REGIONAL NEWS

MANICALANDNo
Report

MASHONALAND CENTRALHorseshoe – at Chiringe, the "war vets"
/youth moved into the main homestead and the manager's house. The labourers
demanded extra package payments. On Rungudzi, "war vets"/youth demanded free use
of the tractors and ploughs for land preparation. On Nyamsewe, the "war vets"
caused a work stoppage on the coffee, with the threat they will move into
manager's house. On Amajuba, a total work stoppage was forced by the "war vets".
On Red Lichen, a total work stoppage was caused and the labourers confined to
their homes. The piggery was left totally untended. The farm is NOT listed or
designated. On Siyalima, a work stoppage was caused by threats from the "war
vets" to barricade houses and put up roadblocks at the entrance and exit to the
farm. The police were notified but refused to respond to all incidents on the
pretext they are not criminal acts.

MASHONALAND EASTHarare South
– at Harwen Farm, after labour attended a meeting on the next-door farm, they
refused to work, issuing a series of demands including cheaper mealie meal and
meat, and more transport assistance. The owner resolved the situation after a
three-hour meeting and the labour returned to work. The following day, they
returned to harass the owner’s wife and forced her to chant Zanu (PF) slogans.
The owner arrived with a police detail and the situation calmed down, with the
district farmers standing off at a distance. Three farmers entered the house to
provide moral support and workers barricaded the gate with farm trailers. The
OIC Beatrice arrived at 1330 hrs and held a meeting with the labour and owner.
OIC heard both sides of argument and told labour they were wrong. Labour
dispersed. Canterbury reported three "war vets" from Marirangwe base arrived in
a green Pulsar (381-629N) wanting funds to assist in victory celebration. They
invited the owner to join them, who declined invitation and informed vets that
any monies donated should come from a central district fund. At Nhuku the
labour massed outside the gates, wanting "work information". The matter was
resolved. The same night, the foreman was beaten up by labour and others on
farm.Marondera North - Police arrested youth on Glen Isla farm, who were
thought to be involved in the beating up of people at a rally in the
area.Wedza – at Lushington ± 18 head of cattle were stolen, and seven were
recovered near Leads Farm. On Saltash, the owner went with the CID and
recovered some stolen property. They continue to recover property
today.Featherstone - after vacating the farm last Friday, the owner of
Kuruman A, returned on 26.03.02 and was refused access to move remaining
furniture, tractor, sheep and pigs. The youth claimed he had to pay off workers
before remaining property could be taken. Later owner was informed the ± 100
dairy cattle would not be milked from that afternoon. The owner reported the
matter to the Mashonaland East Governor and was escorted to the farm by Support
Unit and other officials on 27.03.02. The labour and youth were informed all
dairy cattle were to be milked without any further stoppages, but it is not
known when / if the owner can return. The officials then went on to Chivhu to
settle the matter with the DA Chagwiza. The Calais owner was informed by a
section of settlers he should be off the farm by 03.04.02. One section of
settlers claim state he must remain and should not be disturbed while the other
section claim he must vacate and pay off the labour. The DA Chagwiza and Land
Committee in Chikomba have requested he attend a meeting before then. The owner
has signed over a piece of the farm for the settlers and is supposed to be
allowed to farm the balance. The dairy on the owner’s section of the farm was
closed by settlers in January 2002, and the dairy cattle are now being milked on
the next-door farm. They have not been allowed to return. The Versailles owner
had a report from labour that DA Chagwiza had arrived on farm on 23.03.02 and
told workers the owner and workers would be off by 02.04.02 (OR ELSE!!). DA
handed papers to settlers and informed them the farm would be theirs on
01.04.02. The owner returned to the farm on 24.03.02 to load cattle and was
allowed to do so only with police intervention. On 26.03.02 the owner went with
workers and officials from Marondera to see DA who at first denied even going to
the farm. Later he admitted going there after workers identified him and Asst.
DA Chezana. DA denied saying that owner should vacate or giving the settlers the
farm and argued that once a Section 5 is received owner should vacate. Agreement
was eventually made that owner was to remain and work to continue. Workers are
now intimidated and fearful to return. Cattle will remain on farm. Workers have
received a letter from Chivhu Labour Office with figures for retrenchment
packages.

MASHONALAND WEST (NORTH)Chinhoyi – on 26.03.02 at Sligo
Farm, settlers covered the farm entrance grid with rocks and tried to bend a
pole across to block vehicles coming on to the farm. On 27.03.02 the owners of
Manegas Farm, Highlands Farm and Chengu Farm were given 24 hours to leave their
farms. The owner of Chengu Farm is in the process of leaving his farm at time
of writing.Banket – on 27.03.02, "war vet" Muturugudu ordered settlers to
build houses right next to the homestead on Doondoo Farm. Due to pressure, the
owner of Dalketh Farm moved out of his house. The house has been occupied and
turned into a school.Doma - Glendower Farm received Section 8 on 1.03.02,
dated 25.02.02.

MASHONALAND WEST (SOUTH)Norton - A2 settlers are
arriving on several farms at the moment, and starting to establish themselves
irrespective of the legal status of the farm. Selous - On Onverwag, which
is not listed, a "war vet" called Nelson Nyamaridza has moved into the
homestead.Chegutu - The DA and the Deputy Speaker of the House still refuse
to allow the owner of Lot 1A of The Grove to return to his farm, but have
allowed a manager to look after his operations. On Exwick farm, "war vet" Makoni
was at the gate on 24.03.02 making demands for the owners to move out. This
property was delisted on the government to government delisting and yet the "war
vets" refuse to recognize the delisting. To date all is quiet.
Battlefields - The Lands Committee and others are visiting farm owners.
Irrespective of the legal status of the farms, they told them A2 settlers would
be growing wheat on these irrigation farms. It is unclear as to whose
irrigation equipment they would be using. Chakari - Tawstock last night at
1100 hrs a 50-strong gang of maize thieves went into his lands. He doubled his
guards and they managed to recover the stolen maize. The "war vets" involved
are suspected to come from the neighbouring farm. The police were
advised.

MASVINGOMasvingo East and Central – the Mayo Farm owner (in
his seventies) was made to attend a meeting called by the settlers on 23.03.02.
During this meeting he was made to stand up and do the “pamberis”. He was told
he must move off his property and demands were made for water. Chidza Farm
reports that on 26.03.02 at approximately 1030 hrs, the resident police settler,
Chirove, who settled the farm, mixed three herds of cattle together when they
were returning to their paddocks from the dip. He chased the cattle, causing
one cow to break its leg. The owner had to shoot the cow and wishes to claim
compensation of ZW$ 45 000-00 as it is a high-grade cow and was in calf to the
pedigree bull, which cost the owner $350 000-00. Chirove and approximately
thirty other settlers were at Chidza bridge afterwards, preventing the cattle
from returning to their paddocks. A multitude of meetings with the Land
Committee, Governor, PA and DA resulted in a “co-existence” agreement allowing
the settlers approximately 1000 acres located on the other side of the main
road, on which the owner has provided water, fencing and two gates for movement
of cattle. In spite of this, the settlers insisted on running their cattle with
the owner’s pedigree herd, which resulted in the owners’ cattle contracting
contagious abortion. The whole herd of 70 cows and 30 calves had to be
slaughtered, with the loss running to millions of dollars. At the present time,
the settlers have approximately 50 cattle mixed in with the owners’ cattle. The
owner was further compromised by keeping his staff in the paddocks during the
day to herd the cattle to keep them out of the settlers’ failed crops, then
kraaling them at night without grazing, resulting in poor condition of the
cattle. The owner completed land preparation using his diesel, tractors and
labour costing more than ZW$ 250 000-00 only to have the settlers claimed the
owners’ lands for themselves. Other incidents include Chirove stealing the
owners’ bull to run with his cows, blocking the water points to deny access for
the owner’s cattle as well as numerous other deliberate sabotages for the past
two years. At Lothian Farm, settlers have moved again into the owner’s
homestead. The owner is not presently residing on this property.Chiredzi –
there is ongoing harassment, with poaching and more people moving on to farms.
People from the communal areas have been told that they should begin moving on
to the farms. Fires have also been reported.Gutu / Chatsworth – the Beema
Farm owner is presently residing in South Africa. Settlers on this property are
said to have chased all the farm workers out of their homes and off the
property, leaving 300 cattle untended. Reports are that settlers have begun
sharing the cattle amongst themselves. This has been reported to the Police who
have sent officials out to investigate the situation.Save Conservancy -
Snaring and poaching continue.Mwenezi - Continued harassment over water.
Cattle are being caught in snares. Poaching rampant.

MIDLANDSNo
report received.

MATABELELANDGeneral - A new trend developing is to
steal four month old calves, which are unbranded or untagged, and moving them
into their communal areas. Many reports from different districts are coming in
of unaccounted calf shortages. Several deliberate fires have already accrued
raising fears of a scorched earth policy being applied. There are some signs of
better police response to complaints, although it is too early to see if this is
a departmental policy change. Daily harassment of farmers and their labour
continues and comes in many forms. As soon as one dispute is resolved another
one is immediately created or invented. No life threatening injuries to people
have been reported recently. Verbal abuse, murder threats and ullimatums
abound. Maize meal continues in short supply with no improvement in
supplies.Inyathi - Gourlays Ranch (Richard Pascall) had approximately 300
people around the homestead this morning, demanding compensation for a rhino
that had died and wanting the owner to move out with immediate effect. They
harassed the labour, causing a work stoppage and telling the labour to vacate
the farm. The Police were called and arrived. After a three-hour meeting
between the police, owner and a small representative group of the mob, they
finally dispersed when a truck loaded with maize arrived at the store. The
situation is quiet.Esigodini – the Komani Farm (Mr Paul Goodwin at) owner is
now completely off his farm, with his stud herd of beef cattle, dairy cattle and
sheep moved to neighbours. He is living in town and his fat stock sale was held
on 27.03.02. The Ntabendende Farm (Mr Willie Robinson) owner is completely off
his farm.Nyamandlovu - Hilda's Kraal (John Sharp) had 105 people arrive on
26.03.02. After a while, they left leaving 16 of the group at the homestead.
Munto Farm (Mr Pilossof -) was visited by a group of people, telling the manager
(Mr Parkin) to leave the farm immediately. He is still on the farm. Porter Farm
(Mr W. Herbst) was visited by a group of 30 people, who told the owner to leave
immediately. They are still on the farm. The local self-appointed "war vet"
leader, Mquamanzi claims the farm homestead is his and wants to move in. The
issue of who is sharing beds with whom has not been resolved as yet! Continual
pressure from settlers and "war vets" is forcing the owner of Edwaleni into
reducing his cattle numbers. 600 head of illegal cattle will leave his herd
starving within two months. The settler cattle will then return to their
grazing in the communal lands. Water supplies are critical, as settlers have
burnt out three electric motors on the boreholes. A family member of
Compensation farm, which has suffered greatly, was stopped at his home gate in
Bulawayo by a group of Zanu (PF) youths, who were putting up posters for the
elections. A hasty retreat prevented him from being injured. Police at
Hillside would not record the incident and the OIC refused to give his name.
The vehicle ferrying the youths was a red Nissan twin cab registration number
757 - 185B. Labour on Seafield has been beaten up, intimidated and instructed
to remove all the cattle off the farm. B.L.F.A – all is quietGwaai -
Gwaai Ranch National Parks official found driving around the farm looking
to shoot three Buffalos to feed the youth brigade in the area.Gwanda – the
Oakley Block farm manager has been denied access to the property to manage his
cattle. Settlers have broken into the homestead stealing the remaining
furniture, occupying the homestead and establishing a school in the
outbuildings.Insiza – at Fountains farm the bedroom window was stoned and
broken.West Nicholson - at Atherstone Ranch, "war vets" and settlers started
removing the irrigation pipes and equipment off the lands claiming the farm and
all equipment belongs to them. Police have intervened but not decisively and
there is an uneasy standoff between the owner and settlers. Police have gone to
consult their superiors to determine who owns what. The Chipizi Farm "war vets"
continually harass management. They have broken and destroyed ball valves on
water troughs, effectively destroying water supplies to 80% of the ranch. The
wildlife has already been subjected to heavy poaching pressure, which will now
increase dramatically as the animals will be forced to congregate around the
only dam on the property. Giraffe number 35 was killed in a snare this
week.Gwanda – the River Block Ranch foreman was beaten up by settlers. The
vacant house and cottage were broken into. The house is now occupied and the
cottage used as a school. The occupants to allow the owner to remove the pump
and switchgear valued at ZW$ 250 000, from the river. The local MP T. Muhadi is
reported to have ordered ZESA to switch on the power and claimed the farm owner
would pay for the power used. Matobo – at Mt Edgecombe, settlers have taken
over staff housing and turned the farm shed into a school. Calves are
disappearing and are either killed and eaten or removed into communal
areas.Umguza – at Mawala Farm, a dismissed worker who complained to "war
vets" tried to extort an inflated gratuity settlement from the elderly farmer,
to no
avail.

It is no secret that,
following his controversial victory in the just-endedelection, what
President Mugabe needs desperately is to convince thosecountries that matter
most in the international community that, despitetheir rejection of the
result, his government deserves to be recognised ashaving some modicum of
legitimacy.

And one of the main ways by which he could convince them is
by demonstratingthat he is now fully and firmly in charge of the country’s
affairs insteadof continuing to be seen as tolerant of the lawlessness that
he is generallybelieved to have sanctioned over the past two years as a
means to anend -that of retaining power.

He sorely needs that
recognition, even if it will only be given grudgingly.

Not only is Zimbabwe likely to be on its knees economy-wise sooner
ratherthan later, but also his government is not likely to survive for long
in anenvironment of a completely hostile international community.

So
far, however, he has not demonstrated that he is in control of thesituation,
particularly with regard to the highly vexatious andall-important issue of
the restoration of the rule of law.

Mindless violence and the selective
application of the law persisted duringthe election period when scores of
Movement for Democratic Change (MDC)election agents were subjected to
arbitrary arrests, assaults andabductions.

The international
community might have been tempted to overlook that for thesake of healing
the wounds and rebuilding bridges if lawlessness had ceasedwith the end of
the election.

Unfortunately, they are unlikely to strike a conciliatory
note for thesimple reason that the lawlessness and mindless violence have
evenintensified in the post-election period with widespread reports of Zanu
PFrogue elements meting out - with impunity - retributive punishment
oncountless perceived MDC supporters.

We shall cite a few of the more
unsettling cases of the post-electionviolence against MDC supporters
reported in this newspaper.

Soon after the election soldiers and riot
police, without the slightestprovocation, moved about Gweru beating up
patrons in selected nightclubsresulting in injuries to innocent revellers
and extensive damage to propertyon the targeted premises.

The two
main targets were Timothy Mukahlera’s Takarangana Night Club andPatrick
Kombayi’s night club in his Chitukuko Hotel.

Mukahlera is the MDC MP for
Gweru Urban, while Kombayi is well known for hisfearless criticism of the
manner Mugabe and his government are running thecountry.

In Chikomba
district, a prominent businessman was brutally murdered for noother reason
than that he had campaigned for the MDC candidate during thepresidential
election campaign.

On Monday this week, we reported that about 17 000 MDC
supporters, includingEvelyn Masaiti, the MP for Mutasa, and Leonard
Chirovamhangu, the MP forNyanga, have fled their homes in the wake of a wave
of violence launchedagainst them immediately after the announcement of the
election results.

The attacks on the MDC supporters are allegedly being
carried out by acombined force of so-called war veterans, Zanu PF youths and
- unbelievablythe police.

We are told many of the affected villagers
are now living in mountains,while some of the MDC’s election agents in
Chipinge are now living underbridges after fleeing their homes because Zanu
PF youths and war veteranswanted to kill them.

The latest victim of
Zanu PF’s murderous campaign of retribution is Harare’snew executive mayor,
Elias Mudzuri, whose Status Night Club in Budiriro wasinvaded by the riot
police who severely beat up patrons without provocation.

In the face of
all these acts of lawlessness, Mugabe has not uttered a wordof rebuke. There
can be no doubt whatsoever that these acts are doingnothing to improve his
image internationally. If he does not act decisivelyto end them, an
impression is likely to be gained that he is either the handbehind them, or
that he is not in full control of the country.

MORE cracks
continue to appear within the South African observer mission toZimbabwe’s
recent presidential election which the head of the mission, DrSam
Motsuenyane, declared was “free and fair”, resulting in the SouthAfrican
Parliament adopting the report and recognising President Mugabe asthe
country’s legitimate leader.

The latest member of the 50-strong mission
to condemn the election as beingflawed is Brigalia Bam, the head of South
Africa’s Independent ElectoralCommission.

Bam said: “The elections
were not free and fair and I would not want todescribe them as
legitimate.”

He said if voters had been allowed to express themselves
properly, Mugabeand his arch-rival, Morgan Tsvangirai, the MDC’s candidate
in the flawedelection, would have come out of the election with an equal
number of votes.

The MDC has described Mugabe’s controversial re-election
as the biggestfraud ever.

Many in Zimbabwe think Tsvangirai could
have easily won the election hadMugabe not employed dirty tricks like the
drastic reduction of pollingstations in urban areas.

Polling stations
in the rural areas were increased to cater for as manypeople as possible
while urban areas, which are opposition strongholds,suffered massive
congestion with thousands of voters failing to cast theirballot.

“If
people had not been stopped from voting on the third day, the partieswould
have had the same numbers, and if not that, then it would have beenvery
close,” said Bam.

“There is no clear majority.” Bam took exception to the
description of theelection as “legitimate” by the head of the mission,
Motsuenyane.

“I have problems with the word legitimate because I don’t
know the legalimplications of that. Does it mean that the government is
illegitimate?”

The comments come after Bobby Godsell, Anglogold’s chief
executive officer,broke ranks with the mission last week, saying he was
“both confused anduncomfortable about the use of the word legitimate to
describe theZimbabwean poll”.

Iqbal Jhazbhay, another member of the
mission, said Mugabe and hisgovernment abused power to his
advantage.

“It is up to everyone of us to speak up against these terrible
abuses ofpower,” said Jhazbhay, a lecturer at the University of South
Africa.Writing for the Sunday Independent this week, Jhazbhay painted a
picture ofintense fear and intimidation in the run-up to the
election.

“Zimbabwe’s rulers hold that no one is immune from their wrath
and thatcitizens should maintain a permanent sense of fear and capitulation
when itcomes to authority.

“Whereas the rest of the Sadc region seems
to be moving in a democraticdirection, Zimbabwe is going the other way,
towards even greater autocracy.

“As a result, more and more of us feel
that we should no longer remainsilent about this.”

But it appears
Motsuenyane is sticking to his guns.

“There is absolutely no
contradiction. Millions of people voted, even ifthere were some people
excluded. But I would say the majority of eligiblevoters
participated.”

However, another member of the mission, Professor
Itumeleng Mosala,vice-chancellor of Technikon North West, concurs with
Motsuenyane.

“As far as we are concerned, the voting was not rigged, the
outcome was notrigged. More than two million Zimbabweans voted, and for us
that wassignificant. They voted secretly and their votes were counted, so
that iswhere we stand,” Mosala said.

The Institute for Democracy in
South Africa (Idasa) said the election wasnot free and fair.

It
attacked the observer mission saying it was regrettable that it had“failed
to offer a clear finding as to the freeness and fairness” of
theelection.

“Their failure to do so dilutes South Africa’s standing
in the world andundermines the credibility of our leadership role in the
building of aviable programme of development for Africa,” Paul Graham,
Idasa’s boss,said.

HIS life ended abruptly at the age of 25 after a group of
enthusiasticpolicemen and soldiers at Ruda police station beat him up for
backing thecandidature of Morgan Tsvangirai, the leader of the MDC, in the
just-endedpresidential election.

Donald Jeranyama, an MDC polling
agent in Mutasa, died at his home in theconstituency on Monday from internal
injuries he sustained following asevere beating allegedly by members of the
uniformed forces.

Jeranyama was among the 25 MDC polling agents and five
whites arrested on 7March for allegedly contravening a section of Public
Order and Security Actafter they gathered at St Martins School to be
deployed to various pollingstations.

Pishai Muchauraya, MDC spokesman
for Manicaland, said yesterday: "Followingthe beating, Jeranyama bled from
the ears. We took him to hospital but therewas a shortage of medicine so he
was discharged and later died at home. Wehave since requested a post-mortem.
This is a cruel act by the lawenforcement agents. How can they beat their
own people to death? Theperpetrators should be brought to book. This country
will soon becomeungovernable if this type of government -sponsored murders
and brutalitycontinues".

Muchauraya said burial arrangements were to
be announced soon.

Evelyn Masaiti, the MP for Mutasa, Muchauraya, and
Arnold Tsunga, presidentof Zimrights and lawyer, were arrested and assaulted
allegedly by soldiersat Ruda Police station, Honde Valley, when they went to
investigate thecase.

They were later released without being charged,
but the 25 polling agentswere detained and released after voting was
complete. They were also notcharged, said Muchauraya.

Masaiti, who
sustained bruises to the body and stiff neck, has since fledthe constituency
following persistent death threats from alleged Zanu PFyouths and fears of
arrest by the police.

In an unrelated incident in Shinja in Chimanimani,
Simon Panganai Mudonha,the MDC vice chairman for ward 9, was allegedly
attacked by Zanu PF youthson 19 March in the on-going post-election
violence. He was admitted atBiriri Hospital and transferred to Chipinge.
District Hospital

WAR veterans and Zanu PF
supporters have launched a witch-hunt among thecivil servants in Bindura,
threatening to flush out all those suspected ofhaving links with the
opposition MDC.

Those that have already been harassed include the
assistant districtadministrator, only named as Gara, and several officials
in the Ministry ofEducation, Sports and Culture, the Ministry of Health and
Child Welfare, andthe Department of Information.

Six officials in the
office of the provincial administrator were reportedlyapproached and warned
of their “pending dismissals” which have not beensanctioned by any
government authority.

Although none of the affected officials could be
reached for comment onTuesday, most of them confirmed they had been harassed
by war veterans andZanu PF supporters who said they were under government
instruction to ferretout suspected MDC sympathisers.

The latest move
has, however, been criticised by some of the ruling partyofficials in
Bindura who have argued that the harassment of governmentofficials would
further damage the already battered image of Zanu PF.

A Zanu PF official,
who spoke on condition of anonymity, said: “This is avery sad development
which we all never anticipated from some of ourmembers. We see our party as
consisting of mature politicians who should notbe going about harassing
innocent people.”

Elliot Manyika, the MP for Bindura, on Tuesday refused
to comment on theissue.

MDC officials in the town said they had a
list of targeted civil servants,suspected of having campaigned for the MDC
during the run-up to thepresidential election held on 9-11
March.

Some of the targeted civil servants include officials in the
Ministry ofJustice, Legal and Parliamentary Affairs, particularly
magistrates at theBindura Magistrates’ Court.

Some of the magistrates
have already been accused of delivering judgmentsthat favour the
opposition.

Daily News

Zanu PF supporters besiege Town House

3/28/02 7:38:19
AM (GMT +2)

By Luke Tamborinyoka Municipal Reporter

ROWDY Zanu
PF supporters yesterday besieged Town House in Harare to protestagainst a
resolution passed by the new executive mayor, Elias Mudzuri, andhis council,
to terminate contracts for hundreds of employees on probationand all those
recruited in the past six months.

Riot police fired shots and tear gas to
disperse MDC supporters, mainlypassers-by, who scaled the Town House fence
and demanded that Zanu PFsupporters disband and allow the new mayor and his
council to work in peace.The protesters were later escorted by the police to
the Zanu PFheadquarters.

Mudzuri, who has brought his own security to
Town House, yesterday said twowar veterans had visited him in the morning
and told him they were worriedthe resolution was aimed at war veterans in
council service.

“They said they would descend on me. I feel threatened,
but it is the rightof the employer to terminate the contract of anyone on
probation,” Mudzurisaid.

“I was elected and some of these people
visiting me are not privy to councilinformation.”

He said the war
veterans had identified themselves as Matsoto and Moyo.Council sources said
yesterday the Commission had stuffed several Zanu PFpeople into certain
positions of council in the last days of their tenure,despite a government
directive to slash the salary bill. The sources saidTuesday’s resolution had
caused panic among the warveterans, 21 of whom have been promoted to senior
positions within themunicipal police.

Among them is war veteran
leader, Joseph Chinotimba, a former patrolman whois now a chief security
officer in the municipal police department.

The group was promoted
following their siege on Town House last September,when they beat up senior
council officials including the chamber secretary,Josephine
Ncube.

Mudzuri said the council would conduct an audit of all
appointments madeduring the period the Harare City Council was carrying out
a retrenchmentexercise. Among those likely to be affected is Leslie Gwindi,
a prominentZanu PF member who was recently appointed public relations
manager, aposition which the council had abolished.

Gwindi was last
year tipped for the governorship of Mashonaland Centralprovince following
the appointment of Elliot Manyika as the Minister ofYouth Development,
Gender and Employment Creation.

“It is the council’s intention to reduce
the huge salary bill as directed bythe Minister of Local Government, Public
Works and National Housing over thelast three years,” Mudzuri
said.

“Identified vacant positions will be advertised and filled with
suitablyqualified staff once the audit and restructuring exercise is
complete. Allemployees affected by the resolution will be free to apply for
any vacantpositions determined.”

Mudzuri said he doubted very much
whether the protesting Zanu PF supportershad been granted permission to do
so in terms of the draconian Public Orderand Security Act.

Meanwhile,
Mudzuri said the salaries and allowances for mayor, deputy mayorand the
councillors were submitted to the government for approval.

The
councillors reportedly want an allowance of $25 000 every month, whilethe
salaries and allowances for mayor and deputy mayor could not beestablished
yesterday.

ZIMBABWE’S Cabinet ministers now
hold office illegally, a legal expert saidyesterday. Section 31E of the
Constitution of Zimbabwe states categoricallythat the office of
Vice-President, Minister or Deputy Minister shall becomevacant upon the
assumption of office of a new President.

It also states that such
office will fall vacant if the President removeshim or her from office, or
if he resigns his office by notice in writingaddressed and delivered to the
President.

Eleven days after President Mugabe’s inauguration for a new
term of office,none of the ministers has been officially reappointed and
sworn in, theexpert pointed out.

Therefore, a meeting held by the
Cabinet on Tuesday was illegal, he said.The unusually long meeting was the
first after Mugabe’s inauguration.

Constitutional law expert Lovemore
Madhuku said: “There is no Cabinet at themoment. Cabinet can only exist
during the process of holding elections, butthis ceases when the President
takes a new oath of office. That act oftaking oath of new office on 17 March
2002 by President Mugabe automaticallydissolved his old
Cabinet.”

Madhuku said up to 17 March, Mugabe operated under his old
mandate and hewas now obliged by law to appoint or reappoint a new Cabinet.
“All decisionstaken by Cabinet after 17 March are, therefore, not valid in
law,” he said.

“This includes the purported decisions by the so-called
individualministers. For example, Jonathan Moyo’s letter to Geoff Nyarota
this weekhas no legal basis since he is no longer a minister.”

Moyo,
the junior minister responsible for Information and Publicity in
thePresident’s Office, on Tuesday threatened legal action against Nyarota,
theEditor-in-Chief of The Daily News, unless he publicly retracted a story
onthe decision by the African, Caribbean and Pacific states-European
Union(ACP-EU) Joint Parliamentary Assembly calling on the government of
Zimbabweto hold a fresh presidential election, saying the poll that gave
Mugabe anew term was not expressive of the electorate’s will because of
thepreceding violence and uneven playing field.

Moyo said there was
no record to support the story. Moyo was in fact wrongas such a resolution
was, indeed, adopted in Cape Town last Thursday by theACP-EU joint
session.

“Mugabe has mistaken the situation which exists when we have
parliamentaryelections and he himself is not going through an election,”
said Madhuku.

“In that situation his ministers continue in office even
though they havebeen re-elected into Parliament. “If Mugabe thinks there is
no difference,the question he must answer for the nation is: why did he
himself take a newoath of office? The Cabinet ministers either lose their
jobs or have to bereappointed and take new oaths of office before
Mugabe.”

Mugabe has been unusually quiet since his re-election. He,
however, held alengthy Cabinet meeting on Tuesday after which he presided
over another longone of the Zanu PF politburo.

On Tuesday, 19 March,
The Daily News published a story suggesting a pendingCabinet reshuffle,
following Mugabe’s inauguration as President.

The article, quoting
well-placed sources in Zanu PF, predicted thatAgriculture Minister Joseph
Made would be axed, while the twoVice-Presidents, Joseph Msika and Simon
Muzenda, would be retired andreplaced by Home Affairs Minister John Nkomo
and Stan Mudenge of ForeignAffairs, respectively. Moyo was said to be
earmarked for promotion toForeign Affairs.

The government has not
responded to the story. Asked to comment on thefailure by Mugabe to appoint
a new Cabinet as required by the law, GeorgeCharamba, the permanent
secretary in the Department of Information, saidthat Mugabe was not a new
President.

He had merely been re-elected, he said. He said the clause
referred to byMadhuku pertained to a new President taking over after beating
an incumbentin an election.

“That’s absolute nonsense,” said
Charamba. “Let the lawyers go back to theirbooks. We have a legitimate
Cabinet enjoying a legitimate term.”

FinGaz

Nkomo, Mnangagwa tipped for top jobs

By Cris
Chinaka3/28/02 1:25:52 AM (GMT +2)

ZIMBABWE’S embattled President
Robert Mugabe is likely to appoint two newvice presidents in a Cabinet
reshuffle expected after his controversialre-election, official sources said
this week.

Mugabe appeared set on picking his preferred
successor, Speaker ofParliament Emmerson Mnangagwa, and Home Affairs
Minister John Nkomo toreplace his current ailing deputies, Simon Muzenda and
Joseph Msika, theysaid.

Msika, who was appointed deputy president
after the death in 1999 of veterannationalist Joshua Nkomo, and Muzenda, who
has been Mugabe’s deputy since1980, are both 79 — just a year older than
Mugabe. Mnangagwa is 59 and Nkomois 67.

"The expectation is that
there is going to be some changes and movements inthe Cabinet, and that the
two vice presidents will be replaced because bothhave some serious and
worrying health problems," one source said.

Both Msika and Muzenda have
been reported sick over the months, but thegovernment has insisted they are
in good health.

Mugabe, Zimbabwe’s sole ruler since the former Rhodesia
gained independencefrom Britain in 1980, retained his hold on power earlier
this month after apresidential poll denounced by many Western powers as
deeply flawed.

Zimbabwe opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai has branded
Mugabe’s victory"daylight robbery" and has spurned suggestions from southern
African leadersthat he joins a government of national unity.

Senior
government officials said Mugabe’s expected Cabinet reshuffle had notbeen
affected by the controversy over re-election, but the need to assemblea
competent and courageous Cabinet team for a country facing a
deepeningeconomic crisis.

"If there has been any agony at all, then
it has to do with the need to puttogether a team that is equal to the
challenge at hand," one source said.

Officials at the government’s
Department of Information refused to commenton the expected Cabinet
reshuffle.

Speculation is rife that besides replacing his two vice
presidents, Mugabemight also split the Ministry of Lands, Agriculture and
Rural Resettlementin a bid to boost his controversial land seizure
programme.

Mugabe, whose land policy has plunged Zimbabwe into its worst
crisis sinceindependence, has targeted more than 90 percent of white-owned
farms forseizure under a programme he says is aimed at correcting
colonialinjustices.

Economic analysts said although Mugabe might not
be keen on retainingFinance Minister Simba Makoni, who is seen as too
liberal, Zimbabwe’seconomic crisis was likely to force him to keep him in
the post.

Independent economist John Robertson said Mugabe might try to
win "some sortof credibility" with his team by having a couple of ministers
regarded asindependents.

"I don’t think it will simply be about what
Mugabe likes. There will be ameasure of pragmatism because I am sure the
government wants to keep openlines of communication with the West and with
international donororganisations," he said.